1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a safety switch, and particularly to a safety switch for use with cow trainers and similar electrical systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known generally to employ what is commonly referred to as a "cow trainer" to prevent cows, and the like, from humping their backs when they are disposing of their waste. Such devices have been found desirable to use because the conventional dairy-barn arrangement has dairy cows retained in a specific relationship with respect to a trough or a gutter that runs along a row of stalls. Stanchions are usually provided at each stall for so retaining the cows. If, however, the cows hump their backs and move their back legs forward when disposing of their waste, the waste will fall onto the floor of the stall and not into the trough or gutter, and the cow will inevitably become soiled.
The conventional arrangement of these animal training devices has an electrically conducting wire strung over the animal's stall. Electrically conductive devices, which form the cow trainers, are suspended from this electrically conductive wire and adjusted so as to be a few inches above the back of the animal so that the animal will only be shocked when the animal humps its back. Examples of prior art devices of this kind may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,428,875, issued Oct. 14, 1947 to J. J. Hantz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,570, issued Feb. 27, 1968 to O. M. Treangen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,976, issued Sept. 3, 1974 to P. M. Sands, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,790,416, issued Apr. 30, 1957 to A. F. Klinzing.
A problem commonly encountered with prior art animal trainers of the kind discussed above, however, is that the trainer itself is connected directly to the overhead live wire. As can be readily appreciated, this direct connection means that the training device is constantly energized, with resulting safety hazards to farmers and other persons working around the animal's stall.